Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Once

There was no way I was pulling Emma and helping Dodge up that hill.Now, I stand between the two of them, helpless. "Emma, ​​please—" I said, squeezing her arm tightly. But she scowled.She took a step back and twisted her arms, breaking free from my grip with incredible strength. "No," she said, and it was the loudest she'd made since she stopped screaming. "Emma, ​​Darren isn't here!" I shouted in a low voice. "I don't care." She stared at me, her eyes finally alive. "I'm not leaving without Darren." "But--"

"no way!" Before I could stop her, she turned and ran back to the beach.I watched her get into the tent.I was angry and worried and helpless, so I had no choice but to chase her. "Leave her alone," Dodge said behind me. Leave her alone and leave her here alone?I turned and looked at Dodge with burning eyes, just in time to see him sit down on a low stone wall.At the moment, I don't have to worry about Emma, ​​because he looks like he's going to throw up again, and he's swaying slightly, as if he's following the slow, undulating motion of the waves. "Dodge, are you sure you want to do this?" I asked.

He ignored my answer and stood up on one foot. "Listen, we need help, that's all." There is no doubt about it. I was always on the alert in case Dodge needed my arm, and he seemed to want to do it on his own.He limped across the uneven parking lot.I followed behind him, half a step behind, slower than the funeral procession, watching his every step carefully, only waiting for the moment when he fell down. I didn't have to wait long.One moment, Dodge was shuffling, determinedly forward, shoulders heaving with the staggering steps; the next, his body was toppled over.I caught him before he fell, but that was all.

"Are you okay?" I gasped, tugging on his coat, trying to put him on the ground gently, after all he was too heavy for me to support him. "Did you trip?" "No," Dodge murmured, "I'm dizzy." He groaned.I let him go, pretty sure he'd throw up again.But he didn't, he rolled over and lay on the ground with his face just inches away from the dirt, blowing dust from his sweaty skin with each breath.I stood beside him and watched him moan and twitch every now and then.He didn't vomit, though, and his stomach must have been empty. "God," I heard him curse under his breath.

We passed like this for a minute, and another minute.Dodge stopped panting, but didn't try to stand up either.Finally, I crouch down and tentatively stroke his back. "Don't be stupid, Dodge. You're not going anywhere like this," I said as softly as I could, knowing how he would react.The fact is not what I expected. "No!" he growled. "We've got to get help, we've got to call someone. Come and help me!" I did as he said, he kept getting up, and started to stagger forward, as if he was drunk, I had to walk quickly to help him, put his arm on my shoulder, and use it One hand rests on his chest.

"Damn it!" he whispered. "Let's go back to camp," I suggested, "just for a while." I had to add right away, because Dodge had opened his mouth to argue with me. But after a while, he nodded, and I supported him and slowly went down the mountain.I wanted to help him to the tent, but he refused and insisted that I help him to the chair. "I like the fresh air," he said, even now he was shivering again. I helped him into the seat, took a bottle of water from my backpack, and got ready to fight.He can't go anywhere now.I know this and so does he.I also knew that even that probably wouldn't stop him.Now there is only one way to keep him here.

"Listen," I said, swallowing hard, "you stay here and watch Emma, ​​I'll find someone." It's not what's in my heart.I really don't want to do this, but I can tell at a glance that Dodge can't go, and Emma doesn't want to go.He's right, we need help.There is no delay in this matter. I just... the thought of walking out alone, gesturing to strangers to stop... I might get lost and never come back after dark... I took a deep breath to calm the panic in my heart.Thinking of Martin and Darren, Emma out of her mind, and Dodge exhausted in front of me.

Something grabs my fingers, and I stop staring at the sand and look up to see Dodge looking at me.He shook his head slowly. "No," he said, "no one can go out alone." I did not point out that he had just left Emma alone.A warm feeling suddenly rose in my heart. He didn't want me to go to the danger alone to ask for help. He wanted to protect me and keep me safe. It's not easy just sitting here.Dodge slumped in the chair, almost half reclining, with his head resting on the back of the chair.He closed his eyes, I don't think he was asleep, after all he would groan or moan every once in a while and then open his eyes.Apparently he didn't want to talk.Emmara closed the tent curtains and shut herself in her little world.I am alone.Although I'm not alone, I feel lonely.Ah, I still have my thoughts for company, but my thoughts are oppressed at the moment.

First, I try to calculate how long Martin has been missing.Thirty-six hours?Maybe longer?If he did get a ride home, would he forgive us now and think about sending a reconciliation text?If Dodge is better tomorrow and we walk out, I can turn on my phone and get a text like this? If he hadn't come home, if he had been stuck somewhere, injured, or stuck, would he have frostbite after thirty-six hours?The days are warm, the nights are another story, and it's raining...how long will it take to get pneumonia? I don't know the answer.It's as if I don't know how soon after a fever becomes more serious, how soon I should start worrying, or worry more.Maybe a day?I can hold on for a day at most, and then no matter what he says, I will go to help alone.Anyway, he couldn't stop me at that time, after all, he couldn't even stand up.

And Emma.Emma has lost her mind.I don't know what to do with her either.I can't imagine what she went through to become so devastated.She had a big fight with Darren?Or had she actually seen him being dragged into the sea? He is in the sea.I'm pretty sure of that.Lots of simple things can go wrong.He may have walked a long way in the sea, swam, and then was in distress in the turbulence.He may have hit a rock while showing off.As long as the foot slips, you may hit your head and faint.Then weak waves can wash him away.In the dark and cold water, there are many possible dangers.

But the waves push in only one direction.If something happened to Darren, he would probably wash ashore, like all the flotsam and seaweed in the cove.After all, isn't that what they're there for?Because it's a good place to collect driftwood. I stood up subconsciously and made a decision. "I'm going to the Cove," I announced. Dodge opened his eyes and looked at me with blurred eyes. "what why?" "I just wanted to... check it out. Maybe I didn't see Darren. Maybe he fell down and lay on the rocks, maybe he went into the sea and then he was back on the beach, but he was too tired, or he was hurt. That's why I can't come back here. Maybe..." I didn't finish.Perhaps he was washed back, but not by himself, but by a "gift" from the sea. "What's wrong with doing that?" I asked, seeing Dodge looking at me uncertainly. "Are you going alone?" he said. "Just to the bay," I replied, "and it's not far. I won't go to the main road. You're right, I don't really want to go to the main road alone." To be honest, I wouldn't want to go to the bay alone, but I... I have to check it out.There is a strange feeling hovering in my heart.Besides, just sitting here would drive me crazy.I don't like the feeling of being unable to do anything but wait. "It's going to be okay." Seeing that he still didn't believe it, I said, "And you can hear me yelling over there. Even if something happens, I will yell, very loudly." I said again. For the first time that day he laughed. "I know," he assured me. "The jellyfish incident is still vivid." It's been a cloudy day after weeks of bright sunshine, but it's not as cold as yesterday, so I put my coat on the chair.I walked briskly up the low hill to the path that wound around the coast, trying to ignore the flustered feeling in my heart.I have horrible memories of my first visit to that cove and don't intend to go back.However, if Darren was even possible to be there... I've actually been quelling my guilt all the time.I can't help but wonder if I'm not seeing him if I'm busy trying to reassure Emma and get her out of there. The scenery along the way looked very strange. When I came to the fork, I hesitated, not knowing which way to go.Yesterday, Emma's voice showed me the way.Today, all I hear are the howling of seagulls and the whirring of the wind.I don't know if it's not windy here.Despite my discomfort, I walked down the path and finally came to the pebbly beach. There were several huge rocks and boulders in the cove that would have completely concealed a person sitting curled up, and it was behind one of these that I found Emma huddled.I checked each rock, circled around to make sure, and then concentrated on looking around at the flotsam strewn across the shoreline and shallows. I didn't see anything that matched Darren's muscular build, but I wasn't about to pass up a detail, determined to double-check.With every step, my sneakers rattled on the moving rocks, the sound seemed to bounce off the cliff. Just as I was halfway along the coastline, something came into view.It's a touch of orange.Although a little dark, it is undeniably orange.Things on this beach shouldn't be that color.I took a deep breath through my suddenly constricted lungs, looking again for that little bit of artificial color. It was there, rising and falling, looming.In the water. I galloped forward, not realizing my feet were pounding on the pebbles, my arms were flailing.My eyes were fixed on that little bit of orange, and I thought it would disappear if I blinked.I stepped into the water, oblivious to the biting chill of the Irish Sea.I ran forward over the water, reaching out eagerly, though I couldn't reach him yet. "Darren!" I gasped. His figure was more defined now, his outline clearly visible in the murky water.His back and shoulders were a little higher than the water, half hidden by a jagged rock which, now at low tide, had come out of the water.His orange T-shirt made his presence felt to the world...to me.His head was tilted to one side, half of his face was in the water and half of his face was above the water.Part of his mouth is above the water.Can he still breathe? With such anticipation, I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him over.His skin was pale, and although his eyes were open, his pupils could not be seen.His head fell back lifelessly on my arm, and my hopes were dashed in an instant.I'm too late? "Darren!" I shook him hard, his head bobbing back and forth, "Darren! Look at me!" no respond.Only his burly body rested limply on my arm.I lowered my head and put my face against his mouth, praying to feel his warm and weak breath.But I didn't, his lips on my cheek were cold, and the sea pushed him rhythmically, as if he was kissing me, but it was an unwelcome kiss. I try to remind myself that it's Darren I'm looking at, instead of thinking that I'm holding a dead body, and I run my hands along his collarbone to his neck.I pressed two fingers firmly at the base of his throat, looking for a pulse, but couldn't find it.His skin was as cold as ice.Tears stung my eyes and my features crinkled.It's too late, I'm too late. If he was here yesterday, was he still alive when I left? I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face, and the guilt felt overwhelming. Just then, something wrapped around my arm.The force is not light, and I don't feel itchy, so it should not be seaweed or jellyfish.The thing that clung to me was strong.I screamed and jerked back, pulling my arms back.Then I saw Darren's face.His eyes were dark, and his focus was restored, and he was staring at me blazingly.But this lasted only an instant, before he slipped into the water and was out of sight. He is still alive.Darren is still alive. "Damn it!" I rushed forward, eagerly looking for it in the water.It's not deep here, where did he go?I was drenched and cold as hell, but I didn't care.I knelt down, and the sharp-edged stone hit my calf, and I frowned in pain.But I didn't stop searching, I ran around, groping my hands through the sand, seaweed and rocks.Where did he go?A moment ago, he was still here.Where did he go? "Darren!" I yelled.My throat was tight and I could only speak his name in a hoarse voice. No one answered me.It was silent.Emma was right, it was dead silent in here.My mind was in such a mess that I didn't realize that the beach had cliffs on three sides, and the wind couldn't blow it.The sea was calm and there was a soft rushing sound.The only sound was the splash of water as I frantically moved around. I stopped suddenly and stood there, gasping for breath.At this moment, I didn't stir the water surface, and then I realized that the sea water was so clear that I could see the bottom at a glance.I could see dark seaweed, twigs, broken blades of grass and pebbles swirling and floating in the water.But no Darren.No one struggled to surface or floated motionless in the water.he's not here. I was a little confused, and I couldn't help being scared, so I turned around quickly and looked around.He is not on the shore, nor has he drifted into the deep sea.There is nowhere for him. "Darren!" I yelled, still. Someone was responding to me, but he didn't speak, the voice came from his throat.Not Darren, but I recognize the voice. "Martin?" I ran out of the water and looked around on the beach, dripping from my body, forgetting the cold. "Martin?" He screamed again, which sounded in agony.Despite hesitating, I walked towards what I thought was the source of the sound, but it was bounced off the cliff, and there seemed to be sounds in all directions around me. "Martin? Martin, where are you?" My tears began to flow down again, and now I was a little bit choked up. "Heather!" My name came from every direction, but it didn't seem to be anywhere.I turned around quickly, making my head dizzy. "Heather, help!" The voices of two people are Martin and Darren.They shouted together, fear, anger and pain in their voices. And accusations. Why didn't I help them?Why didn't I help them? I yelled louder, ran this way, and ran there. "Where are you?" I called. This time, I didn't get any response, just a sharp, distorted echo. where are they?This bay is so small.I stood there blankly in the center, all places and everything in sight.I was flustered and frightened, and it took me a long time to realize the fact that I was the only one here. But what's with that sound?I patted my head with both hands, trying to shut those voices out of my mind.Did this happen to Emma, ​​and it was because of this that she was pushed to the brink of collapse? At this moment, I just wanted to run away, so I covered my ears with both hands and ran.This posture makes me run awkwardly and lose my center of gravity.I was not stable at all, and the stones under my feet were always slipping, so I fell. I fell hard and slid out.Instinctively, I clung to the jagged rocks and the coarse grains of sand to stop myself from sliding out.Just then, I caught something smoother and cooler than the other pebbles.I opened my palm and stared at the thing in the palm of my hand. It turned out to be the brooch.How can it be here?Dodge threw it into the ocean at camp.The odds of it drifting down the coast to the bay before I pick it up are slim to none.But more importantly, I am outside the high tide line at this time.I shook my head in disbelief. Another scream pierced the sky, pulling me out of my thoughts.I staggered to my feet and sprinted down the narrow path at full speed, my eyes fixed on the path, the little brass brooch firmly in my palm, as if attached to it.